Archive for July, 2011

Softline commemorates its eight years of being part of the Sage Group plc by joining the Group’s “30 years of Sage” celebration in July. Since joining the Sage Group plc in 2003, Softline has continued to grow from strength to strength as one of the leading business management software providers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ivan Epstein, the Co-Founder and CEO of Softline, says that he is extremely proud to represent Sage in the newly formed AAMEA (Africa, Australia, Middle East & Asia) region at such an auspicious time for the company.

“Reaching a 30 year milestone is significant for any company regardless of size. It is not only an opportunity to reflect, but also to celebrate the individuals who make our company great. Through their hard work and dedication, we have become a leader in our field,” says Epstein.

He says that this milestone also serves as a reminder that Softline, and fellow Sage teams in 24 countries, are part of a global community of 13 600 employees with a shared vision of becoming the most admired and respected software provider in the world.

With over 6 million customers worldwide, Epstein says that preserving the Group’s exceptional customer experience is of paramount importance. “With our global strength and local expertise we know what our customers’ needs are and will ensure we have specific and relevant solutions to meet these now and in the future.”

Technology has radically changed the world of business. It has also affected the recruitment industry and traditional recruitment agencies face a limited future unless they embrace the changes that are being driven by technology.

Grant Lloyd, managing director at Softline Pastel, a member of the Softline and Sage Group plc, says there are several factors that are leading to a situation where many companies are re-evaluating the way that they recruit employees.

He adds that Pastel People Placements, the specialist recruitment division within Softline Pastel, is of the opinion that internal recruitment is often more cost-effective than using a recruitment agency. Traditional recruitment agencies charge a placement fee calculated between 15% and 17% of the new employee’s annual total cost to company (TCC). If the job carries a R400 000 annual cost to the company and the recruitment agency charges a 17% placement fee the agency’s placement fee amounts to R68 000.

“In these times, most companies would consider that expensive. But to be fair, although it appears to be easy money, people recruitment and placement is an unforgiving, demanding task and the product is unpredictable. Selling tangible products is considerably easier than promoting human capital.”

Networking has never been as easy as it is today and Lloyd points out that social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook are being increasingly used by candidates looking to change jobs or gain entry to a new field of business.

“The conventional recruitment agencies need to monitor these trends and make use of them,” says Lloyd. “Today’s successful companies have out-of-the-box thinkers and use technology to look forward and take advantage of opportunities.”

He points out that many companies with websites now have a dedicated careers section which enables job-seekers to apply directly via the website for various positions that the company has open. With an effective, competent HR section, companies can save considerable recruitment charges, provided they have the necessary recruitment skills and tools.

“Practical testing of candidates in software competency and skills levels, both in theory and in practice should be part of any company’s recruitment drive. The base for all of this is getting the balance right between theory, academic experience and software proficiency. Candidates with only practical experience rely on software to do it all for them. A combination of academic prowess and practical competency is the best option.”

“Areas that add value in in-house recruitment are workshops that test commuinication skills, comprehension, life skills, interactive skills and general knowledge. Patience levels, people tolerance and personal interaction skills are also important in correct candidate selection.”

Recruiting correctly first time must be the ongoing goal because making the wrong selection is invariably costly. Lloyd adds that it is also just as critical for companies to retain good employees.

Most in-house recruitment companies lack proper screening tools. One-on-one interviews are not sufficient to determine if the job-seeker is a good fit for the specific job or the company. As long as recruitment agencies are keeping abreast of technology trends and add value to companies by ensuring that they put forward the most suitable candidate, and retain the candidate for the long term, there will most definitely be a future for external recruitment agencies.

The Afrika Tikkun campaign will run for the duration of July to collect non-perishable grocery items for distribution to communities in need.

For Ivan Epstein, Mandela Day is about honouring one of the world’s most admired and revered leaders. Epstein, who is the co-founder and CEO of Softline, part of the Sage Group plc, says the company will kick-start an outreach project in support of Afrika Tikkun, a non-profit organisation, working towards empowering tomorrow’s leaders.

“Softline has been involved with Afrika Tikkun, over the past two years. The organisation works toward the transformation of South African communities by caring for vulnerable children and orphans in townships. It provides general services to the community but also focus on children aged one to 19, as well as their guardians,” explains Epstein.

He says he applauds the approach of Afrika Tikkun which aims to forge partnerships between industry and local communities to create self-sustainable projects in previously disadvantaged communities. The projects include the establishment and ongoing support of schools from pre-school to high school; and community and youth learning centres which provide an extracurricular learning environment for teens.

The company will also celebrate “30 years of Sage” in conjunction with Mandela Day. Taking time to honour the people of the company who help to make it the leading software provider that it is today.

At Softline, we believe in the principle of giving is receiving and hope that in every way, we honour what Nelson Mandela gives to South Africa and the world.”

Software, Solutions & Insights

The Sage Group provides business software, services and support to small and medium sized businesses. Whilst the heritage is in the SME market, the company also has the experience and expertise to deal with the requirements of specific industries and larger organisations. Core solutions cover accounting, ERP, Payroll and HR, Business Intelligence, customer relationship management and retail software solutions to small, medium and larger sized companies.